Day 6: Wednesday, January 20

8am

Game analysis and education coordinator Craig Jennings is again in the Driver’s Seat (to quote a brilliant one-hit wonder by Sniff’n the Tears from 1978), as the two running machines – senior assistant coach Simon Goodwin and manager of welfare/operations Andrew Nichol – jog the eight kilometres out to Maroochydore Multi-Sports Complex.

Coach Paul Roos again rides in the front passenger seat.

Conversation in the mini-bus turns to a local coffee shop.

Roos gives the big thumbs up after having his early morning brew.

“I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it could be the different chocolate in the mocha,” he says, praising it.

8:15am

Preparation starts for this morning’s session, which includes education, craft and physio/massage.

Upon arrival, there is a pungent aroma wafting through the rooms. It’s kind of like the smell in one of the rooms at MONA in Tassie. If you’ve been there, you’ll know what I mean!

“Curdled milk. You’ll be right in five minutes,” says manager of development Brendan McCartney to the group.

Skipper Nathan Jones receives several handshakes and pats on the back, as the triple best and fairest winner celebrates his 28^th birthday today.

Angus Brayshaw soon walks past squinting.

I ask him if he’s OK.

“Going well, except the sunscreen I’ve had in the eyes for about the past 10 minutes … oh and JKH (Jay Kennedy-Harris) snoring last night,” he says.

Ruck coach Greg Stafford is at training after arriving on the Sunshine Coast last night. The former Swan and Tiger works part-time for the club, while running a building business full-time.

He and stoppage coach Ben Mathews – former teammates at the Swans – run through vision on the laptop before training.

Training services coordinator Peter W.Roberts works on several players pre-training, including Dean Kent. He’s a magician at his craft.

The bikes get their usual workout before the session, with Max Gawn, James Harmes and Liam Hulett among the players to use them.

McCartney is jotting the morning’s schedule on the whiteboard, before he heads outside to have a quick kick with Lynden Dunn.

Jack Viney, Ben Kennedy and Billy Stretch pop outside for some quick fire handballs to each other, before the main session starts.

9am

Mathews takes the education session inside the change rooms.

The 2005 Sydney Swans premiership player is an impressive coach.

He keeps it simple, practical, but throws up scenarios to the players and make them consider options.

When taking the players through one situation, he doesn’t overcomplicate matters.

“I personally don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel. A simple plan executed well is effective,” he says.

N.Jones, Viney, Gawn and Dom Tyson ask several questions and offer ideas.

Jack Trengove says the 40-minute session includes looking at various stoppages, vision from Monday’s training and breaking down situations, so “everyone knows they are on the same page in the midfield”.

“That’s one of the big things we want to get out of this camp – to make sure everyone’s got it nutted out and we’re absolutely on the same page – so that when it comes to games, we’re fit and firing to go,” he says.

As Mathews finishes with the first group, he leaves them with this: “Don’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t work the first time, just keep at it.”

It’s sage advice.

Some of this morning’s drills include hitting targets inside 50 from midfield stoppages, contested marking and set-shot goalkicking.

Viv Michie, who was redrafted by the club as a rookie last November, impresses in the stoppages.

Talls Jack Watts and Cam Pedersen take some strong contested marks in their activity.

In the goalkicking, the likes of Chris Dawes, Watts, Pedersen, Sam Weideman and Hulett all compete strongly.  

Dawes ends up the eventual winner, yet there is plenty to like in young Weideman’s kicking action.

Near the rooms, several players complete boxing drills, as strength and conditioning team member Rob Jackson takes the group through their paces.

Some of the pairs boxing include Aaron vandenBerg/Tom McDonald, Kennedy/Stretch, Viney/Christian Petracca, Kennedy-Harris/Trengove and Watts/Dawes.

It caps off a sharp session.

By the end of training, five of the club’s ‘First XVIII’ members says farewell as they get set to return to Melbourne after four days on the camp. Peter Lawrence, Torsten Kasper, Chris Sleigh, Anthony Micallef and David Rennick all bleed red and blue and they have relished the opportunity to gain an inner sanctum experience. Manager of experiences Leon McConville and general manager of football operations Josh Mahoney are instrumental in looking after the group on the camp.

The trip back to Twin Waters brings a few more classic one liners from Roos. Shall we call them ‘Roosyisms’? He’s a very fun man and provides some entertaining observations and commentary.

The local radio station is on.

“The Knack. My Sharona,” Roos says with authority.

“You’d be all over that Jenno,” he adds, turning to driver Jennings.

Again, there are several chuckles.

1:30pm

After lunch, the squad splits into two sessions at the Maroochydore Beach Gymnastics.

Jayden Hunt and Harmes are two to catch the eye. Hunt’s flip into the foam pit was super impressive and Harmes attacks the gymnastics with plenty of enthusiasm.

Christian Salem agrees.

“Jayden Hunt’s doing well and James Harmes – they’re the two standouts,” he says.

“But definitely not Gawny (Max Gawn) – I don’t think it’s one for the big boys.”

Watts shows some strength by reaching the top of the roof – it’d have to be at least 10 metres – after a rope climbing exercise.

Christian Salem says gymnastics has been fun to do on the camp.

“It’s a bit different to what we normally do, and the boys are having a lot of fun, so it’s been good,” he says.

For Trengove, who’s been sidelined with a foot injury for almost two years, it’s a lighter day.

He says his lighter day is “still enough”, as it includes 40 minutes of boxing, an education session, plus some weights in the afternoon – instead of gymnastics – plus recovery in the pool.

“It’s probably been the hottest day we’ve had up here. I went to the gym, with a few of the boys in the rehab group. It was a bit of a sweat box, but another good session. They (the fitness staff) didn’t want us jumping around in gymnastics,” he says.

“Monday was a big day for me and I ended up doing about 10km. A lot of that was one on one skills and agility, which is the stuff I’ve got to tick off before I get back into the main group.  

“It’s just a matter of getting comfortable kicking the footy, running around the ground, pushing off the foot and getting tackled. I’ve got to tick them off over the next couple of weeks, but it’s all going to plan at this stage.”

4:30pm

With the sessions completed for the day, it seems that Mexican is the dinner of choice – at least for a couple of apartments.

“They’ll be a few burritos or tacos, but nothing too snazzy,” Trengove says about his apartment’s dinner.  

Still, it sounds pretty good to me!  

Salem, who is looking to get one back on a certain housemate, after it’s alleged that he’s not pulling his weight in the cooking duties, says Harmes is preparing his strongest dish for the evening.  

“I heard Neville [Jetta] stitched me up the other day, so I’ll just tell the honest side of it,” he says with a smile.

“Me and Jeffy [Garlett] are doing most of the cooking and Harmesy is on tonight with his tacos, which he does at home and is a specialty.

“We’re looking forward to the tacos tonight.”